FRISCO, Texas (July 8, 2013) – US Youth Soccer is proud to announce the schedule for the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships, presented by National Guard, to be played July 23-28 at Overland Park Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kan. The 88 qualifying teams will play matches Tuesday, July 23 through Friday, July 26 to determine who will advance to vie for the national titles. Those title games will be played Saturday, July 27 or Sunday, July 28.

The traditional 56 regional champions and representatives have advanced to the National Championships via success through the first two legs of the annual US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, where more than 10,000 teams began their journey at the US Youth Soccer State Championships.

State champions advanced to their respective US Youth Soccer Regional Championship, four in all, where over 850 teams competed from all corners of the country. In addition to these 56 regional champions, 32 teams have punched their tickets to the National Championships via success in the National League.

Teams from the US Youth Soccer National League will complete the field of 88 alongside the regional qualifiers. US Youth Soccer National League qualifiers finished the highly competitive league among the top two in their respective divisions.

The National League consists of teams, Under-15 through Under-18 Boys and Girls, who qualified for league play through their respective US Youth Soccer Regional League. Established in 2007, National League teams have captured a combined 20 of a possible 30 US Youth Soccer National Championships in the first five years.

For all teams competing in the National Championships, the annual Player Luncheon will be held at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kan. The luncheon serves as the kickoff to the weeklong event highlighting the achievements of these national qualifiers.

Round robin match times are scheduled for 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on the opening day of play with preliminary games continuing through Friday. Teams will earn three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss. The teams with the most points at the conclusion of Friday's play will advance to play for the National Championship on Saturday, July 27 or Sunday, July 28.

Each year brings about new challenges and highlights the motivation and commitment of these youth as they continue pursuing their dreams of being one of the best youth soccer teams in the United States. The National Championships are the final leg of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series and open to any US Youth Soccer member. The U.S. Soccer Federation initiated the open youth championships with the James P. McGuire Cup, the oldest trophy in youth sport, (Under-19 Boys) in 1935. Since its creation in 1974, US Youth Soccer has added 13 divisions to the national championship tournament, most recently with the Under-13 Boys and Girls divisions this year to create the current format.

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About the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series – The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their abilities against the best in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The yearlong competition begins with over 185,000 players in the US Youth Soccer State Championships. These champions and selected wildcard teams, through US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues, advance to compete in one of four the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Champions (U-13 through U-19) from each regional event advance to the National Championships. The Under-15 through 18 Boys and Girls age groups have four teams representative of the US Youth Soccer National League, in which the top four teams in each gender age group earn a direct path to the National Championships. Overall the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country.

About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer - "The Game for ALL Kids!®" is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.